Tie-rod assembly



Sept. *1 7, 1935. w. TODD TIE ROD ASSEMBLY zmmw 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 16, 1953 Sept. 17,1935, W DD 2,014,871

TIE ROD AS SEMBLY Filed Feb. 16, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 on the wheels or the tie-rods.

Patented Sept. 17, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

.the above type frequently become bent or bowed, or otherwise distorted, thus disturbing the wheel alignment and resulting in undue wear of tires, wheels shimmying or whipping, which is generally objectionable and in a great many instances results in the vehicle becoming beyond control and frequently causing serious accidents.

This bend ng 91f bowing of the tie-rod is occasioned in numerous ways, such as accidentally hitting the-curb or other object with the wheel, or by other blows, stresses or strains being exerted However, of late this condition has been brought about by the use of the new type of balloon tires, with which there is not sufficient momentum to carry the front wheels out to a straight position until after the vehicle has attained a speed of approximately fifteen miles per hour, or more. At lower speeds, the pressure of the tire alignment is on the tierod, causing it to bend, or bow at the center. To increase the size or thickness of the tie-rod,

" sufiicient to increase its strength to prevent bendcenter portion of the tie-rod shown in Figure 1;

ing under these conditions, ordinarily means increasing the weight of the tie-rod, which is objectionable.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the above draw-backs by the provision of a tie-rod of a construction, which is lighter in weight and stronger than the usual tie-rod, yet which will prevent the bending above mentioned.

Another object of the invention is the provision of the tie-rod assembly consisting of a tie-rod of a novel construction which will not bend under the conditions above enumerated, and which is ,provided at its ends with yieldable coupling or connecting members permitting certain road jars or shocks to be absorbed, thus relieving the tie-rod from the peak of the shock and reducing the tendency to shimmying and whipping of the steering gear.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention resides in the sundry details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the appended claims. In the drawings, which show the perfected embodiment of the invention as at present devised:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the tie-rod assembly of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view similar to Figure 3, but of a modified form of the invention; 5

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of a tie-rod of the type now commonly in use, but equipped with a reinforcing member in its center portion, said reinforcing member being shown in longitudinal section;

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on line 66 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a top plan view of one end of the tierod showing the connecting or coupling member attached thereto; 1

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on line 88 of Figure '7;

Figure 9 is a view taken substantially on line 99 of Figure 8; and V Figure 10 is a perspective View of a bearing pad.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the tie-rod of the present invention consists of an elongated bar or tube H], usually of rounding cross section, threaded at its ends, the ends being threaded with right and left hand threads respectively. On each of the threaded ends ll of the rod is threadedly received coupling members [2 which can be adjusted with respect to each other by the rotation of the tie-rod l0; These coupling members I2 have a yieldably mounted stud 13 mounted to yield longitudinally of the rod, and which is connected with a steering member or other suitable part of the steering gear M. The studs i3 are yieldably mounted in the socket in such a manner as to absorb to a degree the road shocks and other strains which are transmitted from the wheels to the connecting rod, thus reducing the liability of bending or bowing the tie-rod and also reducing the transmission of these shocks and strains to the steering wheel of the vehicle.

The center portion of the tie-rod I0 is formed with a plurality of flanges or ribs l5 radially pro:- jectingfrom the surface of the rod and extending longitudinally of the rod for a distance from the center thereof. It is preferred that these flanges or ribs be four in number and equally radially spaced, and that the length of the same will proximate about one-third of the length of the rod. These ribs or flanges may have their exterior surface tapering toward their ends to merge into the surface of the end portions of the rod.

As shown in Figure 4, the ribbed center portion a of the tie-rod may be formed of tubular stock having the flanges or ribs molded thereon and the end portions 2) of the rods made of solid material which have their inner ends reduced and fitted into the hollow ends of the center portion a, where they are integrally secured in any suitable manner, such as by welding, clamping or the like.

In Figure 5, the flanged center portion a of the tie-rod may be made of tubular stock which is stamped to form the reinforcing flanges or ribs l5, by bending opposite portions of the side-walls of the tubular member upon itself, as clearly shown at X.

The present invention also contemplates the provision of a center reinforcing sleeve or ferrule, of either of the forms shown in Figures 3 and 4, for a tie-rod which is of substantially uniform cross-section throughout its length, as is now commonly used, to extend therethrough, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, and to be positioned or located at the center portion of said tie-rod, as shown in Figure 1. This reinforcing sleeve or ferrule may be secured to the tie-rod in any suitable manner, such as welding, clamping, bolts, rivets, or the like.

As before stated, the ends I I of the tie-rod are oppositely threaded and are received in the threaded split socket ends 30 of the coupling members [2, so that each coupling member may be adjusted equally with respect to each other, to maintain the proper alignment of the wheels, by rotating the tie-rod l6 when the clamping bolts 3| are loosened so that the split socket 38 will release its clamping grip on the threaded end of the rod. There are two clamping bolts 3| provided on each coupling member, so as to insure the maintenance of the proper adjusted position of the couplings on the ends of the tie-rod.

The coupling members l2 are preferably of the ball and socket type, and each comprises an elongated tubular socket 32 formed in one end portion of the coupler member. These sockets are opened at their outer end, which is internally threaded to receive and maintain the plug nut 33. The sidewall of the socket is provided with an elongated slot 34 extending longitudinally thereof. A ball headed stud 35 is provided with the ball head 35a thereof disposed within the socket and maintained in position between the bearing pads 36 and 31, while the stud 35 extends through the slot 34 for connection with the steering knuckle 31, or any other connecting member. The slot 34 is of a width less than the diameter of the head 35a so as to prevent the ball head from being withdrawn therefrom, and is of such length as to permit lateral movement of the stud in the slot and longitudinally thereof.

The stud 35 is assembled in the socket 32 by inserting the threaded end 351) thereof into the opened end of the socket and then directing it through the slot 34; and it is obvious that the stud may be quickly removed from the socket in a reversed manner.

The bearing pad 36 is positioned against the closed end of the socket, while the pad 31 is arranged to engage the opposite side of the ball head 35a. Both of said pads are of a diameter which will have a sliding fit with the sidewalls of the socket so that said pads will not become tilted in position, but will maintain a position to properly hold the head 35a therebetween. The pad 36 is provided with a rearwardly extending guide stem 38, while the inner face of the plug nut 33 is formed with an annular recess 39 to receive an end of the flat coil spring 40. The stem 38 and the recess 39 are of such diameter as will properly fit the interior diameter of the helical spring 40 in order to maintain the spring in proper position so that it will not tilt or bow and will at all times exert a proper pressure against the pad 31. It

will be observed that applicant has selected a hel- 5 ical spring whose convolutions are flat in cross section, because it has been found that such a spring does not break or crystallize as quickly as a spring whose convolutions are circular in cross section. By adjustment of the plug 39 in the 10 threaded end of the socket 32, the proper tension can be applied to the spring 40 to maintain the pads in proper engagement with the ball head 35.

In order to exclude dust, water and other foreign substances from the interior of the socket 33, 15 a dust plate 4| is provided which is curved transversely to conform with the contour of the exterior surface of the socket 32. This plate is of such size as to fully cover the slot 34, and is provided with an opening 42 therein of a diameter only to 20 permit the stud 35 to pass therethrough. The plate is held yieldably in position by a helical spring 43 surrounding the stud and interposed between the steering arm or knuckle 31 and the plate 4 I. 5

A lubricating fitting 44 is threaded in an opening in the sidewall of the socket 32, preferably, opposite the ball head 3511, so that the socket may be maintained with grease or other lubricant material. 30 V The outer end of the socket 32 is provided with a spaced series of circumferentially extending apertures through which a cotter pin 45 may be inserted to align with suitable kerfs or notches 46 in the outer face of the plug nut 33, so as to main- 5 tain the plug nut in its adjusted position.

It will also be seen that the dimensions of the socket 32 are such as to permit the stud and ball head to move longitudinally in the slot 34, as well as a yielding longitudinal movement of the bearing pad 31 in the socket, so that any undue strains or shocks, which are encountered by the steering wheel and transmitted therethrough to the tierod may be yieldably absorbed by the helical springs 40, thus relieving the peak of the shock 45 from the tie-rod.

Manifestly, from the foregoing it will be observed that the present invention provides an improved economical and useful tie-rod assembly, giving the greatest degree of safety in operation, 50 in that it will eliminate or greatly reduce the bending of the connecting rod which causes malalignment of the steering wheels, bending of the spindle or king-bolts, prevent road scouring of the tires, will eliminate or greatly reduce the shimmying or whipping of the steering gear, and will prevent the parts from becoming disconnected.

In this specification and the annexed drawings, the invention is disclosed in the form in which it 60 is considered to be the best, but the invention is not limited to such form because it is capable of being embodied in other forms; and it is to be understood that in and by the claims following the description herein it is intended to cover the in- 65 vention in whatever form it may embody within the scope thereof.

Having thus described the invention and the manner in which the same is to be performed, what is claimed as new and upon which Letters Patent is desired, is:

1. In a tie-rod assembly, a tie-rod body consisting of an elongated bar having threaded end portions of rounding cross-section, said end portions being connected by an intermediate por- 75 tion provided with external longitudinally disposed radially spaced flat ribs, the ends of which gradually merge into the end portions of the bar at substantial distances from the threaded portions thereof.

2. In a tie-rod assembly, a tie-rod body consisting of an elongated tubular bar having open end portions of rounding cross-section, said end portions being connected by an intermediate portion provided with external longitudinally disposed radially spaced flat ribs, the ends of which gradually merge into the end portions of the bar, and externally threaded solid end-sections having portions projected into and secured Within the open ends of said bar, the merging portions of said ribs being located at substantial distances an elongated rod, a tubular member surrounding 10 the central portion of said rod and bent upon itself at spaced points around its periphery to provide a plurality of radially spaced and outwardly extending ribs extending longitudinally of said member, said member being secured in position 15 on said rod.

WILLIAM TODD. 

